Mark,
Not much action on this thread as we drift back to the lower 3s. However, all is not so bleak. I was at the Ft. Laud. Jumbo today, and it was extremely busy for the half hour or so I was there, which was just until closing...there were lines buying when we came and on the way out. Staff was friendly, and the store was much better stocked than last time. The sign is up, which is more than one of the other stores in the shopping center can say, as JSI won their court case to be allowed to put the sign up in this rigid area....they didn't like the colors, etc...
Apparently there had been some effects from the UPS strike...such as nearly running out of tape for the registers and running out of medium sized bags, and maybe even running short on a few products. Also, they now carry some Jumbo products....tee-shirts, hats, mugs, and sip bottles, although they were all out of the shirts....employee told me that they disappeared fast, as the employees all wanted them as opposed to the polo type shirts they had. They also had hand towels with the jsi logo. They told me that they were extremely busy all day, as well as most of the last few weeks....getting back to school sales in....sporting equipment, backpacks, etc.....backpacks were apparently a big seller today.
Earnings are due out shortly....sometime over the next week or two if memory serves. My expectations for the qtr. are pretty minimal, but after this is the key. I would be surprised if they meet expectations for the last qtr though.
Any new thoughts?
Take care,
Marshall |
